‘No one’s more deserving’: Doug Ford visits Don Cherry to congratulate him on Order of Ontario honour

Hockey commentator Don Cherry speaks to journalists after being the first person to touch the Lucky Loonie after its removal from protective casing at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto Monday, February 1, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Ontario Premier Doug Ford congratulated Don Cherry in-person after it was announced that the former hockey commentator would be given the province’s highest honour.

“There’s my champion,” Ford says in a video posted to social media on Thursday, which shows the premier visiting the 92 year old at what appears to be his Mississauga home.

Cherry was among 30 new appointees to the Order of Ontario announced last month. Ford said he was “so proud” of Cherry in the video and called the Kingston-born former hockey player and coach an “icon.”

“No one’s more deserving in this country than you. You’re the most patriotic person I’ve ever met,” Ford says in the video.

Cherry co-hosted the “Coach’s Corner” segment during the “Hockey Night in Canada” broadcast for more than 30 years. He was fired by Sportsnet in 2019 following his on-air comments about what he described as an apparent lack of recognition for Remembrance Day, which many interpreted as an attack on immigrants.

“You people that come here…you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy,” Cherry said in what would end up being his last broadcast. He never apologized for the comment, but later said he wished he had phrased the rant differently.

Bart Yabsley, president of Sportsnet, said at the time that Cherry’s comments were “divisive” and “do not represent our values or what we stand for.”

Ford was asked about Cherry’s appointment to the Order after it was announced on Feb. 17 and lauded his charity work and involvement in minor hockey organizations.

“Bring Don out to Scotiabank Arena when the Leafs play and the place will go ballistic right? They will go wild. He has massive support out there and I support him so good for Don, I want to congratulate him along with all the other recipients that receive the Order of Ontario,” Ford said at the time.

Other notable names appointed to the Order of Ontario include Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey and executive chair of Rogers Communications Edward Rogers.

It’s unclear if Ford visited, or will visit, any of the other 29 inductees.

The 2025 recipients will be invested at a ceremony in Toronto sometime this year.